Surf's Up
Surf's Up
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
1/5
Accessible
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Surf's Up is a mock documentary style animated film with a light, playful tone, focused on surfing, competition, and learning humility, with an energetic atmosphere designed for broad family viewing. Sensitive material is limited but present, including sports rivalry, repeated put downs, a near drowning scene, a foot injury shown without graphic detail, and clear references to the death of the hero's father as well as the apparent death of a legendary surfer. The intensity stays low to moderate because the movie remains highly stylized, funny, and reassuring, although some children may still be unsettled by the bullying dynamic, the water danger, and the themes of loss and failure. For more sensitive viewers, parents can help by framing the conflict as cartoon competition, briefly explaining the references to death in simple language, and highlighting the film's positive messages about friendship, perseverance, and finding joy in an activity instead of chasing status.
Synopsis
A young surfer enters his first contest, hoping a win will earn him respect. But an encounter with a laid-back local forces him to rethink his values.
Difficult scenes
Early in the film, Cody's family explains that his father was eaten by an orca before he was born. The event is not shown in a realistic way, but the information is explicit and may lead younger children to ask questions about the death of a parent. After arriving at the competition island, Cody clashes with Tank, an arrogant and threatening rival who mocks others and vandalizes a memorial. Their confrontation leads to a fall into the water, Cody briefly seems in real danger of drowning, and he is then injured by a sea urchin, making this the most intense sequence in the film. The story repeatedly refers to the apparent death of Big Z, a surfing legend believed to have died after crashing into rocks. Even though the overall tone stays accessible, this backstory adds a mild layer of sadness and seriousness to the movie. Cody is often treated as a loser by people around him or embarrassed when he fails in front of others. These moments are still comedic and support his character growth, but children who are sensitive to ridicule or humiliation may react to this pattern of put downs.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2007
- Runtime
- 1h 25m
- Countries
- United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Ash Brannon, Chris Buck
- Main cast
- Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel, Jon Heder, James Woods, Diedrich Bader, Mario Cantone, Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Selema Masekela
- Studios
- Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
1/5
Accessible
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Surf's Up is a mock documentary style animated film with a light, playful tone, focused on surfing, competition, and learning humility, with an energetic atmosphere designed for broad family viewing. Sensitive material is limited but present, including sports rivalry, repeated put downs, a near drowning scene, a foot injury shown without graphic detail, and clear references to the death of the hero's father as well as the apparent death of a legendary surfer. The intensity stays low to moderate because the movie remains highly stylized, funny, and reassuring, although some children may still be unsettled by the bullying dynamic, the water danger, and the themes of loss and failure. For more sensitive viewers, parents can help by framing the conflict as cartoon competition, briefly explaining the references to death in simple language, and highlighting the film's positive messages about friendship, perseverance, and finding joy in an activity instead of chasing status.
Synopsis
A young surfer enters his first contest, hoping a win will earn him respect. But an encounter with a laid-back local forces him to rethink his values.
Difficult scenes
Early in the film, Cody's family explains that his father was eaten by an orca before he was born. The event is not shown in a realistic way, but the information is explicit and may lead younger children to ask questions about the death of a parent. After arriving at the competition island, Cody clashes with Tank, an arrogant and threatening rival who mocks others and vandalizes a memorial. Their confrontation leads to a fall into the water, Cody briefly seems in real danger of drowning, and he is then injured by a sea urchin, making this the most intense sequence in the film. The story repeatedly refers to the apparent death of Big Z, a surfing legend believed to have died after crashing into rocks. Even though the overall tone stays accessible, this backstory adds a mild layer of sadness and seriousness to the movie. Cody is often treated as a loser by people around him or embarrassed when he fails in front of others. These moments are still comedic and support his character growth, but children who are sensitive to ridicule or humiliation may react to this pattern of put downs.